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Abstract:

The invention relates to a breast attachment, in particular a flexible
insert for a breast pump or a nipple shield, wherein the insert or shield
applies a positive massaging effect on a breast mimicking the natural
stimulation of a baby breast feed--

Claims:

1. A flexible breast attachment comprising a first circular portion sized
to receive a human breast and a second cylindrical portion, wherein the
second portion comprises a circumferential groove.

2-13. (canceled)

Description:

[0001] The invention relates to a breast attachment, in particular a
flexible insert for a breast pump or a nipple shield, wherein the insert
or shield applies a positive massaging effect on a breast mimicking the
natural stimulation of a baby breast feeding.

[0002] There are disadvantages associated with all known massaging breast
pump inserts and shields.

[0003] The breast pump insert described in EP0727234 (Avent Limited) has
recessed petals which rest against the breast and then move away from the
breast when suction is applied due to the fact that the vacuum is
directed to the space between the massaging insert and the rigid support
horn. It is doubtful if the movement away from the breast actually
provides any massaging effect.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 7,396,339 (The First Years Inc.) also describes a
breast pump insert with recessed massaging petals, comprising regions
within the massaging insert with thinned walls. However, the suction is
directed via channels in the insert to the thinned regions in the space
between the insert and the breast. As such, when suction is applied from
the breast pump, the thinned regions move towards the breast and apply a
massaging pressure. This could provide useful massage, but relies on the
channels in the wall of the insert to direct suction to the recesses.
However, the channels are small and will easily be blocked by the user's
own breast.

[0005] Alternatively, US2004024352 (Playtex) has a massaging insert with a
membrane, which again applies positive massaging force to the breast, but
which utilises a build-up of pressure in the cavity between the massaging
insert and the supporting horn. The breast pump described in US2004024352
either provides for no suction to the breast, which would otherwise
encourage milk expression in the manner of most other known breast pumps,
or it requires the breast pump to simultaneously apply suction to the
breast and increased pressure to the massaging membrane. The latter would
require a more complex breast pump than is desired.

[0006] It is well known that suction applied to the breast in short pulses
provides the most efficient milk expression. As known in the art,
applying suction to the breast stimulates milk expression by mimicking
the action of a baby. The flexible regions of known breast pumps can
assist milk expression by providing a small massaging effect. However,
the flexible regions move by a pressure differential across a thinned
region of material and the massaging pressure is therefore minimal
because it relies on stretching the material, which requires a lot of
energy.

[0007] Known nipple shields have a constant wall thickness and are either
too rigid due to thick walls, which inhibits massage, or too flexible due
to thin walls, which do not provide enough protection for the mother and
risk damage to the shield.

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention provides a breast attachment
that can be used as an insert in a breast pump or as a nipple shield to
provide a positive massaging effect, which promotes milk expression. The
attachment achieves this positive massaging effect by including at least
one circumferential groove on the neck of the attachment and a cushioned
outer rim. The circumferential grooves in the attachment of the invention
provide weaknesses in the wall of the insert, which react to a decrease
in pressure within the insert to collapse inwardly and significantly
distort the attachment. The attachment shape change provides a much
greater massaging pressure without needing to provide a lot of suction.

[0009] This is unlike the known art, where the massaging force is
dependent on stretching the material and hence is directly proportional
to the suction applied. In addition, the known breast pump inserts exert
localised force, towards or away from the breast, acting approximately
perpendicular from the breast, which is not representative of a baby's
mouth. The shape change of the insert of the invention is much more
representative of the action of a baby's mouth when feeding, so is likely
to be more successful at causing milk expression. Specifically, the whole
insert collapses and deforms, mimicking a baby's mouth as it goes from a
wide "O" shape to a flattened shape.

[0010] When the insert is placed on the user's breast, the cushioned outer
rim gives a comfortable feel due to the locating channel away from the
surface of the insert which contacts the breast. Hence, when suction is
applied and the user presses the pump onto her body, she cannot feel the
hard outer rim of the rigid horn pressing through the flexible insert.

[0011] The invention also relates to a nipple shield that comprises the
same circumferential grooves allowing the shield to collapse, as
discussed above. Thus, the feeding baby can still apply a natural
massaging effect and promote milk expression, even when the shield is in
place. The shield also protects the mother's nipple.

[0012] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of
example with reference to the drawings of which:

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section view of a breast pump insert (1), with
a circular portion (2), attached to a head unit (9), which in turn is
attached to a container and a pump lead.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section view of a breast pump insert (1)
comprising a circular convex portion (16) in place of a circular cup
portion.

[0017] The attachment can comprise a circular cup portion (2). At the base
of the cup (2), the attachment also comprises a cylindrical neck (3) that
extends from the cup portion (2) of the attachment (1). The attachment
(1) is made of a flexible material.

[0018] The cylindrical portion (3) of the attachment (1) comprises at
least one circumferential groove (12) on the inner surface. The grooves
alternative with lands (i.e. ridges that result due to the grooves).
Preferably the cylindrical portion (3) comprises two, three, four, five
or six grooves. The grooves (12) can additionally or alternatively occur
on the outer surface of the cylindrical portion (3). The attachment (1)
does not include thinned regions around the circumferential grooves (12).
The circumferential grooves (12) and lands provide the cylindrical
portion (3) with an undulating cross section.

[0019] The attachment can be an insert for a breast pump. The circular
portion (2) of the insert (1) has a shallow cup shape when it is not
attached to any other components of the breast pump. The edge or rim (4)
of the cup portion (2) folds back on itself to form a lip (5). By folding
out and back on itself, this portion of the insert (1) also forms a rim
(23) i.e. bulbous section that has a cushioning effect when in use.

[0020] The insert can also comprise a circular convex portion (16) in
place of the circular cup portion. The convex portion (16) domes outward
to provide a cushion against which the user can press. The convex portion
(16) ensures that the breast cannot be pressed against the rim of the
rigid horn.

[0021] When assembled for use, the insert (1) fits into a rigid horn (6),
such that the entire of the inner surface of the rigid horn (6) is
protected by the insert (1). The shape of the rigid horn (6) therefore
corresponds generally to the shape of the flexible insert (1) i.e. the
horn (6) is made up of a circular cup portion (13) with a cylindrical
neck portion (14) extending from the base of the circular portion. The
cup shape of the circular portion (13) of the horn (6) is significantly
more pronounced than the cup-shape of the flexible insert (1) when the
flexible insert (1) is not secured within the horn (6). The rigid horn
(6) comprises a step (15) from the cup portion (13) to the cylindrical
portion (14). When the rigid horn (6) is attached to a head unit (9), the
entire cylindrical portion fits into a corresponding portion in the head
unit

[0022] A cavity (7) is formed between the flexible insert (1) and the
rigid horn (6). The lip (5) of the flexible insert (1) at the edge of the
circular portion (2) or circular convex portion (16) comprises a recess
or channel (8) formed between a pointed ridge on the outer surface of the
insert (1) and the outer edge of the lip (5). A corresponding portion of
the rigid horn (6) fits into the recess or channel (8), so as to achieve
a tight connection between the flexible insert (1) and the horn (6).
Thus, the mouth of the insert (1) hooks onto the rigid horn (6).

[0023] The seal of the cavity (7) between the flexible insert (1) and the
rigid horn (6) is broken by two small parallel flat-topped projections on
the insert (1) that run perpendicular to the lip (5) at the edge of the
circular portion. The projections can also run in any other direction
relative to the lip provided the projections break the seal between the
insert (1) and the horn (6). The projections may be any structure that
juts out from the insert (1) e.g. a ridge, a bar or a formation. If the
cavity (7) was sealed, deformation of the insert during use would change
the volume of the cavity. This would affect the pressure and any change
in pressure would provide resistance to the insert (1) deformation (thus
inhibiting the amount of massaging provided by the insert). The two small
flat-topped ridges provided on the insert (1) create an air passage
around the outer rim of the horn (6) and ensures that the cavity (7) can
maintain ambient pressure regardless of any volume deformations inside
the cavity (7).

[0024] At the end of the cylindrical portion (3) of the insert (1) that
attaches to a head unit (9), the insert portion also folds back on
itself, to provide a channel or recess (10) into which the rigid horn (6)
can tightly fit. Thus, the flexible insert (1) hooks onto the rigid horn
(6) at both ends.

[0025] The portion of the rigid horn (6), which the cup portion of the
insert (1) hooks onto is a flat rim (11) that fits into (or interacts
with) the channel or recess of the insert (8). The other end of the rigid
horn (6) that the cylindrical portion (3) of the insert (1) fits onto has
a portion cut out to leave a section of cylindrical rigid horn that is
thinner than the remainder of the horn and that fits into (or interacts
with) the recess or channel (10) provided by the insert (1).

[0026] When the flexible insert (1) is attached to the rigid horn (6), the
flexible insert (1) is stretched causing the cup shape of the insert (1)
to become more pronounced and correspond generally to the shape of a
breast, such that the insert (1) can be placed on a breast.

[0027] The combined structure of the insert (1) and rigid horn (6)
attaches to a head unit (9) i.e. the main body of the pump) at the end of
the cylindrical portion (3).

[0028] The head unit (9) can be attached to a manual pump or an electrical
pump. A suitable electric pump is a diaphragm pump.

[0029] When in use the head unit (9) is also connected to a container in
which the milk is collected. The head unit (9) can comprise an internal
thread for screwing the unit onto a container. The unit can also comprise
a one way valve at the portion of the unit that attaches to the
container, such that when a container is attached, milk passes through
the unit and the valve into the container. The one way valve may be a
duck-bill valve or flap valve as known in the art.

[0030] When in use, suction is applied to the breast and the flexible
insert by a pump causing the flexible insert to collapse along the
circumferential grooves. This causes the cylindrical neck (3) of the
insert (1) to collapse and distort, going from a circular cross-section
to a flattened oval cross-section. This change in shape provides a
massaging pressure on the breast, which stimulates milk production.

[0031] After the suction pulse ends and the pump bleeds air back into the
unit and the flexible insert (1) returns to the original shape. Any milk
that is expressed during the suction cycle will pass down the neck of the
insert (1) into the unit body (9) and subsequently into a storage
container via a one-way valve.

[0032] The two flat-topped projections on the insert (1) ensure that
deformation of the insert occurs with minimal resistance because the
cavity (7) between the flexible insert (1) and the rigid horn (6) is not
sealed from the ambient atmosphere.

[0033] The flexible insert (1) can be made from silicone rubber, while the
horn (6) and head unit (9) of the pump can be made from a rigid plastic
such as polypropylene.

[0034] The attachment can also be a nipple shield. When the attachment is
a nipple shield the cylindrical neck terminates with a domed portion
(19), shaped to receive a nipple.

[0035] The dome shaped portion (19) of the shield comprises at least one
cut-out portion (17). The cut-out portions can represent substantially a
fifth, a quarter, a third or more of the total domed portion. The domed
portion can additionally comprise smaller holes (18) in the tip of the
domed portion.

[0036] The cup shaped portion of the nipple shield is a wide, flat region
that can be made of thin material and can seal to a breast. The
cylindrical portion (3) and the domed portion (19) can be made from
thicker material.

[0037] The nipple shield can be made from silicone rubber.

[0038] When in use the nipple shield is placed on a breast and a baby
sucks the cylindrical portion (3). As the baby feeds, the circumferential
grooves (12) in the cylindrical portion (3) cause the shield to collapse
and thereby exerting a natural massaging effect on the breast, promoting
milk release.

[0039] The baby may also apply a massaging action caused by changing the
shape of its mouth from an "O" to a flatter shape. The circumferential
grooves (12) thereby ensure that the nipple shield can collapse easily
and transmit the natural massaging action to the breast with minimal
interference. In other words, if the shield does not collapse it will
resist the massaging force from the baby's feeding action. This is
undesirable as the nipple shield will inhibit the natural feeding action
and reduce stimulation of the breast which may, ultimately, cause the
mother's milk supply to decrease.

[0040] The cut-out portions allow release of a substantial amount of milk
into the baby's mouth. In addition, the cut-out portions can mean that
the baby can feel the mother's nipple.

[0041] When not in use the shield can be stored and protected by a casing.
The casing (22) comprises a first cup shaped portion (20) with a second
dome shaped portion (21) to accommodate the nipple portion of the shield.